Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet conveyance apparatus adapted to convey a sheet as well as to an image forming apparatus equipped with the sheet conveyance apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Generally, an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copier transfers a toner image to a sheet and fixes the transferred toner image onto the sheet by applying heat and pressure using a fixing device. Then, after passing through the fixing device, the sheet is discharged out of the apparatus by a discharge roller pair.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-311893 proposes a printer in which a discharge roller pair includes a conveyance roller driven by a motor, and a pinch roller placed by being inclined at a predetermined angle to a rotation axis of the conveyance roller and adapted to rotate following the conveyance roller.
However, in the printer described above, when the conveyance roller and pinch roller are cylindrical, the conveyance roller and pinch roller contact each other only at a single point. In this way, when the conveyance roller and pinch roller making up a roller pair adapted to convey a sheet have a small number of contact points, sheet holding force will be impaired, resulting in a reduced conveying force, and sheet conveyance will become unstable. Also, nip pressure between the conveyance roller and pinch roller will concentrate on the single point, and the sheet might be creased, scarred, or otherwise damaged.